


He Lives In You

by RonniRotten



Series: Sandypants One-Shots (SFW) [10]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:55:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23773441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RonniRotten/pseuds/RonniRotten
Summary: A sort of sequel to "Aries"After the events of DWIT, Roman isn't feeling too great. Thomas knows about Remus, that there used to be one creativity, and that Roman isn't as all-encompassing as he let on. Getting rid of Remus would be the only way to achieve that last part, but maybe just a little pay back for clubbing him over the head would make Roman feel better. But when he finds Remus sitting in a meadow, calm and introspective, he finds out more than he knew he didn't know and gains from it.
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders
Series: Sandypants One-Shots (SFW) [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1626229
Comments: 2
Kudos: 41





	He Lives In You

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening to [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1kVY2EEns8) and [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjfM6NiMGG4) on repeat while writing this fic

It was dusk. The kingdom felt dull. Roman stared at the overcast sky, painted bright with oranges and pinks, a far cry from the mood he was in. As he leaned on the white balcony, Roman couldn't help but think of the abrupt reveal that happened. His twin, his brother, the other half—Thomas knew that he was not the only creativity. Thomas knew there was someone before them, a king who was gone forever. 

Roman often felt like a shard of ceramic from a shattered bowl. He couldn't encompass all that he needed to be Creativity. Sure he could come up with ideas—stories, plots, coherent thought—but that took time, and he was sure that no matter how hard he tried he couldn't come up with something practical on the fly. That's where Remus came in. If there were no more Remus, he would be all encompassing. 

Roman shook his head and ran a hand through his hair as the wind tickled his cheek. He didn't want to be rid of Remus. He wanted to feel like he could live up to Thomas' expectations, to his predecessor. He felt so small and weak. Maybe it was he who should be gone, and Remus take over as the stronger twin. 

No! Roman banished his doubts long enough to hop over the edge of the balcony and climb to the ground via a red banner with a golden lion. He landed silently on the pavement and set off. He was not as weak as he thought and Remus would know exactly why he was not going to get away with bludgeoning a prince and taking over! He was going to pay for that transgression!

He trudged through the forest with no light to guide him. He didn't need it in his own kingdom. He needed to have the element of surprise, make use of his ability to conjure what he needed. He was not going to be bested by the duke, he was not going to let his insecurities destroy him. 

He was not prepared to emerge in a strange meadow lit by a full moon and fireflies. The flowers were closed for the evening amid the rolling grass, and the bats overhead were squeaking softly, more so than his birds. But what struck him the most was Remus, sitting at the edge of a pond, calmly staring at the sky. 

"No sword?" he greeted as Roman approached. He glanced at his twin when he got no response.

"Something bugging you Princey?" 

"Why are you on my side?" Roman asked without thinking, too stunned to comprehend the situation.

"I'm not. This is my side. This was  _ his _ special place. I don't have the power to change it," Remus shrugged, "What do I owe the crowned prince for gracing me with an appearance?" 

"Don't play dumb with me, you should already know why I'm here!" 

"Is this because I knocked you out and raised hell?" Remus pressed, bouncing with glee.

"And tried to kill me!" Roman snarled, clenching his fists.

"Oh no, that's something I never plan on  _ actually _ doing. I don't want to have to do your job, mine is enough! I just needed you out of the way for a while and I decided to have fun doing it!" Remus said with a giggle at the end and looked up at the sky again.

"You don't?" Roman asked, completely bewildered. Remus sighed and shook his head. He was far too calm and collected, a far cry from the usual. It was as if he could be as much a prince as Roman. Revenge wasn't quite as appealing anymore, still appealing but not in that moment.

"There's a reason why we split beyond just what Thomas decided was good and bad. Plant your ass and let me ramble." Remus hummed. Roman sat down and crossed his legs. He was unused to this calm Remus and should have had his guard up, but there was something in his voice that made him feel like it was safe.

"A king with a kingdom too large to manage, too vast with too many different problems has a heavy burden that weighs on him through his crown. Managing alone drives anyone insane. Do you have any idea how vast the imagination is?"

"It is big enough to split into two kingdoms." 

"Three if you count the small part only Virgil can manipulate. But it's huge. That's what I'm saying. It's too much for one person to manage on top of being available for Thomas and the others." 

"What?" Roman questioned, not quite following.

"You don't remember anything from Marcus' life, do you, Aries? Or how it happened."

"Aries?" Now Roman was really confused.

"We shattered a mirror by pulling out our reflection and then, BAM, the split. I have the memories of King Marcus, you have the grace and charm he put forward. Aries is the name he gave his reflection. Since I remember, you're Aries." 

"You lost me." 

"Patton didn't cause the split, Marcus did, and maybe too soon. Because he was stressed and tired and needed a break that he just couldn't catch. He was terrified that he would never have time for himself, terrified of becoming a plaything for the others, terrified he would always be needed but not wanted." 

"He split into us because he couldn't handle it. He became we. But then why are we incomplete? I know you feel like you aren't enough—" 

"No, that's just you!" Remus cut him off, "I'm enough, I came to terms with my role and being unwanted. I just want Tombo to see me and maybe accept me as I am, whether he likes it or not.  _ You _ feel like  _ you _ aren't enough. Less than little Marky and unsure if you have what it takes to live up to him?" He fluttered his lashes at his twin with a wry smile.

"It's so creepy when you read me like that!" Roman huffed and averted his gaze.

"You're just like him. Doubtful but powerful, whimsical with a temper, but you don't remember him and you can't see it."

"And you expect to get me to see it?"

"Have a little faith, alright. Look into the water and tell me what you see." Remus snorted. Roman leaned forward hesitantly and peered into the moonlit pond. It was just his face staring back at him. The same brown, tired eyes, the same imperfect, perfectly coiffed hair, the same hairless face.

"That's just me." 

"Hey, listen, look closer into the water, into the truth," Remus said and peered down next to him, "He lives in you, he lives in me." Roman stared hard, amazed at the sudden change when Remus tossed a pebble in the water and laid on his back.

Instead of his face, Roman saw someone familiar and yet a total stranger. Bright hazel eyes stared back at him. He had the same squared posture as Roman normally would, proud and confident. He had stubble and an impish air about him, like Remus, but that man was neither of them.

"In your reflection, he lives in you." Remus said, snapping Roman from his trance. 

"That was—" 

"'King Marcus, if he grew up?' Yeah. He's hot. But he's nicey dicey into two halves! You have enough of him in you to move mountains or rearrange the stars to guide the ship lost at sea, a lighthouse in the densest fog. I am the whirring tempest, thunder and lightning striking the ocean, the albatross flying until I'm shot down to wear around your neck." 

"Albatrosses are  _ good _ luck if they follow your ship," Roman sneered. 

"I am good luck! Who do you think weasels us out of serious shit? Lying and fight-or-flight only go so far! I'm his Ingenuity, you're his Inspiration. Both Creativity, both himbolicious, but I'm the hot one!" 

"Have you looked in a mirror lately, Buffalo Bill?" Roman scoffed playfully, already plotting to make Remus pay, but in a different way. Remus sat up abruptly and peered into the pond, leaning over it. He winked and blew a kiss at his reflection just to be a little shit.

**_Splash!_ **

"That's for clubbing me over the head, Dukebag!" Roman laughed after shoving Remus in the water. It wasn't deep or cold, but it was unexpected. 

Remus flailed until he was seated, waist deep with wet hair in his eyes. He spit out a goldfish and some water and smirked. Roman wasn't fast enough.

"This is war!" he cheered and dragged Roman in with him, covering the prince in mud. The splash fight that ensued might have been childish, but it was more fun than Roman had in a while. More importantly, he could understand that maybe, just maybe, Remus wasn’t supposed to be his mirror, the bad twin. Maybe he was simply Remus, a different branch of creativity, and his brother. Who was so getting a face full of pond scum!


End file.
